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Topic Review (Newest First)

02-17-2014 01:26 AM

coulter

Thread hijack.... Would you say the same thing as far as keeping an adult dog and new pup seperate so the new pup will learn from you?

02-17-2014 01:21 AM

Botox

I am raising one right now, and she is definitely a handful lol. It takes patience. Though she is making me a better person as well so it's a win, win situation have fun!

02-16-2014 10:59 PM

shepherdmom

Quote:

Originally Posted by pauleena89

We actually have no idea what we are doing, but we are more than willing to learn. We originally went to pick up one, after seeing the situation that they were in we decided to take both girls home. Any tips?

I've done it with two brothers and a short while later added their sister too. It can be done. I did not keep them separate. In fact for the first little while they were crated together until they got to big. I did train them separate. I had two daughters in 4-h obedience and they each went with one and one with me but it was always the same class. At home they were together constantly.

I did it unintentionally but I neutered one young spayed the female young and let the other one go longer making him the more dominate leader. I didn't do this on purpose. One of his testicles didn't drop and we waited hoping it would drop on its own. However I think that saved us from fights later on. He was unquestionably the leader.

If I had read all the stuff on litter-mate syndrome I would have been scared to death but since I never knew about it I just pressed on and luckily for me it turned out fine.

02-16-2014 10:31 PM

Twyla

Start with the link Lucia posted - read it twice and do some serious thinking, then start on the links below...

Finding a Good Trainer - German Shepherd Dog Forums -- you really want to start now locating a good trainer - not the petsmart/petco variety - instead a club near you, or if individual, check references so to speak, do they know and understand working breeds preferably GSD experience

02-16-2014 10:26 PM

Scout's Mama

Mcdanfam took two pups from the same litter and seem to be doing well. It might be worth asking for some advice if you have specific questions after reading the threads that have already been posted.

02-16-2014 10:21 PM

Castlemaid

Some reading about potential issues with raising two pups together - it can be done, but its a TON of work - heck, raising ONE pup is a ton of work, two, more like crazyness!

It can be done with a plan and dedication, and the households where I have seen it successful is where the dogs are kept separated almost all the time, except for one or two periods of play time together. I have friends who have raised two pups from the same litter, males, but one was the husband's, the other was the wife's, and each person had sole responsibility for their own pup. Husband and Wife where very much involved in training and trialling, so pups did intense training with their respective person, etc. Sure they could have walks together, and the occasional run in the fields, but they were more like friend dogs visiting, than brothers living together.

When they matured, they had a fight. After that, they were always trying to get to the other dog, and had to be crated, rotated, kenneled, etc . . .

02-16-2014 10:21 PM

pauleena89

We actually have no idea what we are doing, but we are more than willing to learn. We originally went to pick up one, after seeing the situation that they were in we decided to take both girls home. Any tips?

02-16-2014 10:11 PM

Castlemaid

Another issue with two pups is that two females are less likely to get along when they mature than a male and female, for example. They may be best of friends than one day they have a disagreement that ends up in a very serious dog fight - if that happens, you won't be able to trust them together again, ever. Then it's crate and rotate and that is no fun. Females fight more seriously than males, and are much less forgiving. There are of course multi-female households that work well, but there are just as many stories of bloody fights and the stress of owning two dogs that now want to kill each other.

Because of the potential harm to the dogs, and the potential heart-ache of having to re-home one of the dogs, or keeping them separated for the rest of their lives, having two female pups together is just not a good thing.

02-16-2014 09:53 PM

DaniFani

Quote:

Originally Posted by pauleena89

We actually have no idea what we are doing, but we are more than willing to learn. We originally went to pick up one, after seeing the situation that they were in we decided to take both girls home. Any tips?

Keep them separated as much as possible. You want them to bond and learn from you, not each other. There are many threads on here of heartache from people who've gotten two at the same time, it works sometimes, but it takes a lot of time. There is a reason most breeders won't even entertain the idea of letting two puppies go at the same time to the same home, it's very hard and you must keep them from depending on each other. Use the search bar on here, look up "two puppies, raising siblings, etc." As others have said, good luck.

02-16-2014 09:50 PM

pauleena89

We actually have no idea what we are doing, but we are more than willing to learn. We originally went to pick up one, after seeing the situation that they were in we decided to take both girls home. Any tips?

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